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3642
Heritage Rail Express
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This fine
portrait was contributed by Jason Smid and shows 3642
and period 12-wheel passenger stock displayed at Central Station
for the 150 years of NSW
Railways celebrations on 24 September 2005.
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Builder
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The
Clyde Engineering Co Ltd,
Granville NSW
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Builder’s Number & Year
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376 of 1926
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Wheel Arrangement
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4-6-0
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No. in class
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75
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Successors
to the (C)35 class 4-6-0 on top passenger duties
where the larger and more powerful (C)36 class, designed by New South Wales
Government Railways (NSWGR) under CME E. Lucy for hauling the newly
introduced stock of heavy passenger carriages without resort to
double-heading and with a high capacity tender to allow 100 miles running
without stops for servicing. Passenger
duties on NSWGR main lines called for a large, free steaming boiler to meet
the demands of steep and curvaceous routes, and the (C)36
class were originally supplied with large round-top boilers at 180 psi
together with 23” diameter pistons and 69” diameter driving wheels
producing 30,500 lbs tractive effort, providing good hill climbing and a
fast turn of speed. Walschaerts (outside)
valve gear was also specified to make lubrication and maintenance
easier. Construction was divided
between the NSWGR Eveleigh Workshops (10) and Clyde Engineering Co, Sydney
(65).
The
(C)36 class were nicknamed ‘Pigs’ by railwaymen,
perhaps due to the appearance of the large diameter boiler and
smokebox. They were superseded on
top link passenger trains by the (C)38 class
Pacifics from the late 1940’s but found further use on secondary passenger
and mail duties, together with some fast freight work. In time the original round-top boilers
became due for renewal and almost all class members were rebuilt in the mid-1950’s with Belpaire boilers at 200 psi, together
with new cabs; as rebuilt the traffic effort increased to 33,880 lbs.
Late
in the steam era the class were being increasingly used for fast freight,
banking and pick-up good services, leading to crew complaints about heavy
reversers, so six class members (3638, 3642, 3644, 3651, 3652 & 3654)
were fitted with power reverse gear salvaged from withdrawn locomotives of
other types. These six were among
the final (C)36’s in revenue service, with 3642
becoming the last when officially condemned on 28 November 1969 but
retained for historical purposes.
The
authorative ‘Steam Locomotive Data’ (July 1974 edition) provides the
following milestones for loco 3642:
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In Service:
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18 January 1926
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Rebuilt with Belpaire boiler:
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12 December 1955
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Condemned:
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28 November 1969
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Distance
Travelled:
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Not
recorded
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Nb.
The distance travelled was not recorded upon 3642’s withdrawal, presumably
in recognition of its ongoing service in heritage use within the NSW Rail Transport
Museum (NSWRTM) fleet based at Enfield No.1 Roundhouse. Alas the Enfield roundhouses were demolished
in 1975 for a proposed container terminal, with 3642 and other NSWRTM
exhibits relocated to Thirlmere.
3642 has received a number of
heavy overhauls during its career as a trafficable heritage locomotive,
including a boiler exchange at Goulburn Workshops in 1980 using a spare
boiler retrieved from departmental use at Chullora Workshops. It was withdrawn from service in the late
1990’s and statically displayed at Thirlmere for a number of years until
funding for overhaul was announced in 2006, culminating in a further boiler
exchange (using boiler 3646B, one of several spare (C)36 class boilers retrieved from static use) and
re-launch to traffic on 1 March 2008.
3642 is normally based in the new semi-roundhouse built at the ‘Trainworks’
museum, Thirlmere, redeveloped from the NSWRTM museum on the same site.
Tours using 3642 are often
marketed under the Heritage Express ‘Legends of Steam’ brand, leveraging
the loco’s authentic and attractive lined green livery, long history as a tour
loco and reputation for spirited main-line running. The webmaster has enjoyed several such tours
over the years!
Further
information about 3642 can be found on the NSW Office on Environment and
Heritage fact sheet for this locomotive. There is also some information about the related
Commonwealth Railways C-class on the page for sister 3609.
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The following series of photos is courtesy of John
Hurst from his collection of railway images.
This view is dated April 1982 and John’s caption reads:
“After a photo stop, a
chance to catch a glint shot of 3642 as she waits for the photographers to
reboard the train.
The location is between Tarago and Joppa Junction.”
Another view of 3642 courtesy of John
Hurst’s collection of railway images.
John’s caption reads:
“This photo was taken in
April 1982 when 3642 hauled a special train from Canberra to Goulburn and back.
The train is seen crossing the Butmaroo Creek trestle, just
out of Bungendore, NSW.”
Another photo courtesy of John
Hurst from his collection of railway images and dated April 1982:
“3642 makes an impressive backdrop of smoke as she crosses
the Burbong bridge, between Queanbeyan and Bungendore.”
A nice broadside view of 3642 at Queanbeyan in April 1982, courtesy of John
Hurst.
The green livery worn by 3642 following its heavy overhaul at Goulburn in
1980 – 1981 had a warm orange tint,
highlighted by the red running board and tender frame, evident in photos from that
period.
A detail photo of 3642’s power reverse gear, courtesy of John
Hurst and dated July 1984.
This was fitted to 3642 and 5 others in 1967 to replace the original
manual reverse mechanism.
These power reversers are often said to have come from withdrawn (C)38 class Pacifics, but were also fitted to (D)57 and (D)58
class locos.
One day I will take a close look
at 3642’s reverser and hopefully find some stamp marks to show which loco it
was originally fitted to!
References
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a
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‘Locomotives
of Australia - 1985 to 2010’ (Fifth Edition), by Leon Oberg,
published
2010 by Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd.
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b
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‘A
Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives’ compiled by Alex Grunbach,
published by the Australian Railway
Historical Society, New South Wales Division, 1989.
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c
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‘Steam
Locomotive Data’ July 1974 edition, compiled by J. H. Forsyth for the
Public
Transport Commission of NSW.
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d
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Wikipedia
entry for the NSWGR (C)36 class, retrieved 17
March 2016.
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e
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Webmaster's
observation or comment
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Page updated: 1 April 2016